Columbia University has overtaken NYU as the most desirable city school among college applicants nationwide if cost and acceptance were not factors, according to the latest Princeton Review survey.

Columbia leapfrogged past its downtown rival to snag third place in the “dream” school survey its highest ranking in the survey’s five-year history while NYU lost ground for the second consecutive year to finish fifth.

Stanford University, in Palo Alto, Calif., led this year’s survey for the first time, based on feedback from nearly 13,000 college applicants, while Harvard slipped a notch, to No. 2.

Princeton University made the top five list as well, placing fourth.

Students said having an Ivy League school on a résumé was a definite draw at a time of increasing unemployment.

“People want to go to a school that has a strong name,” said Maryam Parhizkar, 22, a senior from Houston.